Overview
The Community Grant Program provides funding to programs and efforts that help build a better Brookline for all who live, learn, work, and play here.
Grant Program Details
BCF’s Community Grant Program aims to support a wide range of efforts that create opportunity and promote equity. We welcome proposals that address a variety of community needs such as, but not limited to, the following:
- Health & Wellness
- Climate Sustainability
- Arts & Culture
- Healthy Aging
- Wealth Building and Economic Mobility Programs
- Housing (including capital improvements, access to affordable housing)
- Crisis Intervention Services (including services that address mental, emotional, and physical health)
- Organizational Capacity Building activities (including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training)
Total amount available to grant: This fiscal year, BCF has $100,000 to distribute within the Community Grant Program.
Maximum Grant Amount: Grant requests are limited to $25,000 or below this year. For reference, the average Community grant awarded in fiscal year 2024 was ~$12,500.
BCF is inviting requests for one-year Community Grants to be submitted through our FY25 grant application. Requests may be for the following: general operating support, project and program funding, capacity building efforts, capital improvements, sector-building efforts, and community- and movement-building initiatives. Please see the Grant FAQs on our website for examples of projects within these categories.
Priority Considerations
In alignment with our organizational vision, as we review proposals, we will give preference to community organizations and groups that:
- Are working to advance equity (including removing barriers to opportunities, meeting the immediate individual needs of those impacted by inequities, addressing root causes of inequities);
- Are led by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color); and/or
- Focus on BIPOC and other vulnerable or marginalized populations, including those populations most impacted by the pandemic
For this grant program, an organization/group is considered BIPOC-led if they meet at least one of the following three criteria:
- The organization/group’s Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer or Board Chair identifies as BIPOC.
- 50% or more of the organization’s leadership staff or program directors identify as BIPOC.
- 50% or more of board members identify as BIPOC.
Eligibility
Please note: This year, we are asking organizations to submit one application to either the Community Grant Program or the Youth Development Grant Program.
Additionally, for the Community Grant Program and Youth Development Grant Program, we will only accept one application per organization. Organizations who are currently funded through the Safety Net grant program are eligible to also apply to Community Grants or Youth Development Grants. 501(c)(3) nonprofits organizations, Town departments or agencies, and community groups can apply for funding. If you are a Town department or agency, please see our additional guidelines.
Proposed projects or programs should directly benefit members of the Brookline community, which we define as those who live, learn, work, or play in Brookline.
If an organization or project is new and/or not yet tax-exempt (is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), an application may be submitted through a fiscal sponsorship. BCF can assist applicants in identifying an appropriate fiscal sponsor. If you are interested in pursuing fiscal sponsorship, please refer to our Grant FAQs for more information or contact BCF at grants@brooklinecommunity.org or 617-566-4442.
BCF grants cannot be used to cover travel costs, political campaigns, or lobbying, and we are unable to provide direct support or scholarships to individuals. While we cannot provide direct assistance to individuals, BCF grant programs may fund organizations and groups that provide direct financial support or scholarships to individuals.
To be eligible, an applicant must be operated and organized so that it does not discriminate in the hiring of staff or provision of services on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, military status, or disability.
BCF Values
At the Brookline Community Foundation, our commitment to creating lasting impact is unwavering and is deeply rooted in core values that guide our actions, decisions, and collaborations. We Lead by Listening, understanding that the nuances of our community’s strengths, challenges, and needs are best grasped by lending an attentive ear. Our mission is firmly Anchored in Equity, ensuring that our vision and processes consistently hold us accountable to the diverse community we serve. We recognize the importance of Sustainable Support; by investing in Brookline, we are not just addressing the immediate needs but are also building a resilient foundation for generations to come. At the heart of our ethos is the principle of Community First. Your insights, experiences, and feedback shape our endeavors, fostering a collaborative environment where our shared objectives are realized in unison. We invite you to keep these values in mind as you prepare your applications and partner with BCF. We hope these values serve as a guidepost for our collective journey towards a brighter, more inclusive future for Brookline.
Application Timeline
- August 26, 2024: Community Grant Request for Proposals (RFP) released
- Monday, October 7, 2024: Deadline to submit grant proposals
- October 14, 2024 – January 2025: Grant Review Period; BCF reviewers may contact organizations to schedule a site visit or call during this time
- Late January 2025: Grant decisions announced
- February 2025: Grants awarded
How to Apply
Please apply through our online grant application.
Application Support / Technical Assistance (TA)
We encourage all applicants to contact us prior to submitting your application so that we may support you, as needed, in your submission. Please reach out at any time to the Program & Partnerships team at grants@brooklinecommunity.org or 617-566-4442.
We also welcome you to review and utilize the recently released Understanding Brookline research publications which include the Understanding Brookline: Economic Inequality in Brookline Report and the Understanding Brookline Community Indicators Database.
Contact
Please contact us with any questions before or during the application process for any of BCF’s grant programs.
Program and Partnerships
Brookline Community Foundation
40 Webster Place
Brookline, MA 02445
grants@brooklinecommunity.org
617-566-4442
